Metric mileage worse than HD? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

BluegrassBoy · 05-09-2007, 09:22 PM

Was talking to a guy tonight who's got a 2004 Shadow 1100 (V&H pipes, rejetted, runs like a scalded dog). He bought the bike to use as a daily commuter (weather permitting) about 200 round-trip miles per day. Almost all highway. Said he's only getting about 25-28mpg and that's keeping it at around 70mph on the highway.

He's unhappily suprised by the mileage and was told by a couple of people that metric mileage isn't that great so he was asking me about my experience.

I have a Heritage Softail and a Road Glide. Both average 40+mpg easily.
My son's V-Star 1100 has been getting about 35mpg.

I hadn't thought too much about this til he mentioned it tonight.
I chalked it up to old man vs young kid riding style....

But this guy's riding shouldn't be causing his mileage to be this low I wouldn't think.

Anyway - what kind of metric bike do you have and what kind of mileage have you been getting?

Fitzdog · 05-10-2007, 09:58 PM

I have a 02 Yamaha Roadstar 98ci with pipes rejet/air kit and get about 38-40 average.

Bubba Neil · 05-10-2007, 10:31 PM

I have ridden with some GoldWings, they tell me low to mid 30's is outstanding for them with 30 being the norm.
A couple of guys I know have Victorys, one guy gets about 33(06 Hammer) the other guy won't tell me but he is always the 1st guy who says he needs gas.

Bowtie18 · 05-10-2007, 11:48 PM

I have an 06 Yamaha Road Star. Vance and Hines Longshots and a Barons Big Air Kit, and I get 44-48 MPG's on a regular basis. That is riding back and forth to work. I only got 38=42 with it stock.

To compare, my father gets about 38 on his E-Glide, and I can be sure of that. We just traded bikes for the week a couple of weeks ago. I know the Glide is heavier, but it just sucked down the gas!

And I am no HD basher! I would love to have a Street Glide, but the above facts are the real deal.

CSM-H · 05-11-2007, 07:46 AM

BluegrassBoy, heck yes driving style would matter..."V&H, rejetted" -- "runs like a scalded dog"!!! who we kidding hear...anyway my Standard e-glide get 35 mpg, my 2000 Valkyrie Interstate got 35mpg, 1985 V-65 about 42....he's probably running hard, changing gears and enjoying it....he got want he wanted...CSM-H

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluegrassBoy

Was talking to a guy tonight who's got a 2004 Shadow 1100 (V&H pipes, rejetted, runs like a scalded dog). He bought the bike to use as a daily commuter (weather permitting) about 200 round-trip miles per day. Almost all highway. Said he's only getting about 25-28mpg and that's keeping it at around 70mph on the highway.

He's unhappily suprised by the mileage and was told by a couple of people that metric mileage isn't that great so he was asking me about my experience.

I have a Heritage Softail and a Road Glide. Both average 40+mpg easily.
My son's V-Star 1100 has been getting about 35mpg.

I hadn't thought too much about this til he mentioned it tonight.
I chalked it up to old man vs young kid riding style....

But this guy's riding shouldn't be causing his mileage to be this low I wouldn't think.

Anyway - what kind of metric bike do you have and what kind of mileage have you been getting?

BluegrassBoy · 05-14-2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CSM-H

BluegrassBoy, heck yes driving style would matter..."V&H, rejetted" -- "runs like a scalded dog"!!! who we kidding hear...anyway my Standard e-glide get 35 mpg, my 2000 Valkyrie Interstate got 35mpg, 1985 V-65 about 42....he's probably running hard, changing gears and enjoying it....he got want he wanted...CSM-H

Actually I've been riding with him quite a bit and he doesn't ride the bike hard all (I'm the one that rode it like a scalded dog!) - but it does have that capability so it's going to be a little more fuel inefficient than normal (whatever "normal" is). So when he's babying it on extended highway trips and getting 25mpg something just sounds wrong.

From the posts here (and from a few other sources) it sounds like his bike is probably jetted a little larger than may be necessary - which is hurting his mileage.

BTW - I polled my HD friends around here (softails and tourers) and they all say the WORST they ever get is in the high 30s. Low to mid-40s was pretty universal. That includes 88s, 95s and even a 103".

sthorp · 05-14-2007, 03:04 PM

My stock 2000 FXD averages 43-44mpg with normal driving, less if real windy or loaded down.

fatboy1985 · 05-15-2007, 08:10 PM

My '05 FI fatboy with samson cannons and tfi fuel management got a best of 41 mpg cruising at 70 mph, however on the other end of the spectrum I got a worst of 25 mpg riding at the low side of 90 mph for the whole trip, there is just something wrong with a low fuel light turning on at a hundred miles, but it was fun.

FredGarvin · 05-15-2007, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubba Neil

I have ridden with some GoldWings, they tell me low to mid 30's is outstanding for them with 30 being the norm.
A couple of guys I know have Victorys, one guy gets about 33(06 Hammer) the other guy won't tell me but he is always the 1st guy who says he needs gas.

that's ridiculous mileage for a GW. I regularly get low 40s mpg with mine as do 4 other guys I ride with. That's a highway speeds of 75 or so.

I had a VTX1300 and also got low 40s mpg. Had V&H pipes with rejetting but that's all.

With my Fatboy I get about 40mpg, + or - a couple of mpg. However I don't have a windshield so my speed seldom goes over 70.

tireater · 05-15-2007, 11:39 PM

I had mileage like that and it turned out the needle was stuck....OR WRONG JET....

Mike-H · 05-16-2007, 07:19 PM

sounds like he is running rich. I have a '04 roadstar with Bub big willies pipes, a maxair filter and rejeted the carb myself. I average 40 MPG. Some of the guys I ride with are getting in the upper 40s but mines running good so I have left it alone.

BluegrassBoy · 05-17-2007, 08:42 AM

Good info.........

Other than the poor mileage he hasn't mentioned any signs of the bike not running right. But I'm increasingly convinced he should revisit the jets and see if that improves things.

Thanks to all.
BB

doc_63 · 05-21-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluegrassBoy

Was talking to a guy tonight who's got a 2004 Shadow 1100 (V&H pipes, rejetted, runs like a scalded dog). He bought the bike to use as a daily commuter (weather permitting) about 200 round-trip miles per day. Almost all highway. Said he's only getting about 25-28mpg and that's keeping it at around 70mph on the highway.

He's unhappily suprised by the mileage and was told by a couple of people that metric mileage isn't that great so he was asking me about my experience.

I have a Heritage Softail and a Road Glide. Both average 40+mpg easily.
My son's V-Star 1100 has been getting about 35mpg.

I hadn't thought too much about this til he mentioned it tonight.
I chalked it up to old man vs young kid riding style....

But this guy's riding shouldn't be causing his mileage to be this low I wouldn't think.

Anyway - what kind of metric bike do you have and what kind of mileage have you been getting?

I have a 2006 VTX 1300R with only 500 miles on it. So far I am getting exactally 40 mpg. So far so good. Should get even better after break-in.

R-RatedCustoms · 05-21-2007, 09:37 PM

I had a 1970's CB750 - Mid 20's

then 02 Road Star stock - Upper 30's

Changed the air box to a ProCharger - Mid 40's

Changed the exhaust to Roadhouse duallys and got about 46-48 mpg

then got a 99 Electra Glide Cop bike with FI- low to mid 40's

smoothrider · 05-21-2007, 11:05 PM

32-35 out of a '97 Valkyrie {73,000+ miles}. Got a best of 41 on a long flat 55mph cruise through the Everglades and as bad as 30 while "Harley Hunting"

.
Just got around 38-40 out of my '05 Triumph R3 mixed hiway/city riding. EFI helps! 40 more HP out of the Rocket than the Valkyrie {142 vs. 101} and better fuel mileage to boot!
Wife's Shadow Spirit 750 got 71 mpg {!}

on the same Everglades trip! A lot depends on your right wrist!!